Land Preservation on Accabonac Harbor
by Nancy Kane
When I first moved to Springs in 1988, I occasionally volunteered at The Nature Conservancy offices which at the time were located upstairs in the building that houses the Springs Library. Views were more open than they are today, and Accabonac Harbor was very visible from those offices. It is not surprising that preservation of the harbor was one of the Conservancy’s goals. Among their earliest acquisitions were the Merrill Lake Sanctuary and Kaplan Meadows. The Conservancy is still a friend of Accabonac Harbor.
More recent acquisitions have been mostly funded with money from the East Hampton Community Preservation Fund. Significant purchases have included the Dodge (see photo) and Fillipelli properties on the west side of the harbor, bought in partnership with Suffolk County. Smaller lots on Gerard and several parcels to the north of the Pollack Krasner House have also been preserved within the last year or two by the Town alone.
[photo]
Recently acquired Dodge property. Photo by Doug Massa.
Ever since it was established in 1985, the Accabonac Protection Committee has lobbied for land preservation. We have been fortunate to have the Conservancy and the Peconic Land Trust in our corner, and the Town Board has been very diligent in giving approval for important appropriations.
Recently we have been concerned about development of the Potter property just up the road from the Library, on Springs Fireplace. The proposed house would loom over the harbor and the Pollack Krasner House just to the north. The size of the building seems to be completely inappropriate for the Springs Historic District and also for the harbor, which has recently been designated as a Scenic Area of Statewide Significance. The Town has pledged half the amount needed for preservation, and the owners of the Potter lot have accepted the offer subject to private fundraising of the other half by March 31, 2010. There is less money in the preservation fund than there has been in past years and continued diligence is needed. The APC welcomes your suggestions and support.
